RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Due to its economic potential and its strategic location in relation to Mercosur, Rio Grande do Sul was the state selected to host the annual delegation of European Union member states’ ambassadors to Brazil.
The event kicks off on Wednesday, December 4th, and runs until Sunday, December 8th. The aim is to enable the exchange of data on economic, trade and investment issues between the two blocs.
According to the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) in Brazil, Ignacio Ybañez Rubio, Europe’s relationship with Brazil is “close” both in cultural and historical aspects. “This harmony opens many doors to economic relations. Whoever is in South America needs to look at Rio Grande do Sul, which is not only a Brazilian state, but also a state that integrates the cultures of Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay,” he said.
The mission led by the European Union includes representatives from Germany, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania and Sweden.
Rubio further stressed the good commercial relations between Rio Grande do Sul and Europe. He noted that the trade balance of Rio Grande do Sul with the European Union is positive for the Brazilian state. In 2018, Rio Grande do Sul exported US$4.1 billion to the European Union and imported US$1.6 billion from the bloc countries.
In addition to the economic significance, reflected in the opportunities that the EU-Mercosur Agreement will bring in the future, Porto Alegre, the state capital, is the ideal place to be visited by Europeans, said Rubio. He recalled that the city is the result of cultural influences from several countries that make up the EU.
On Thursday, December 5th, European ambassadors will hold institutional meetings in the state and will take part in the EU-Brazil Strategic Partnership seminar, within the framework of Rio Grande do Sul.
The event will take place at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and will address issues such as European and academic values, academic partnerships between the state and the EU, innovation, and technology.
After the seminar, the European representatives will attend a lunch offered by the city of Porto Alegre. In the afternoon, the ambassadors will take a guided tour of Stihl, a successful European company in Brazil, specializing in products for forestry, agriculture, professional gardening, cleaning and conservation, and construction markets.
By the end of the day, they will meet with leaders of the Federation of Agriculture of Rio Grande do Sul (FARSUL), for a dinner.
Source: Agência Brasil